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By Tom Karst

A produce-friendly action plan to solve childhood obesity within a generation has attracted widespread praise from food industry and nutrition advocates.

First Lady Michelle Obama and other Obama administration officials unveiled the action plan in a presentation May 11. The plan to reduce the rate of childhood obesity to 5% by 2030 outlines 70 specific recommendations that stress physical fitness and better nutrition for America’s youth.

The plan’s focus on encouraging increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is in line with foodservice industry trends, said Dawn Sweeney, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association.

“The restaurant industry is built upon consumer choice, and industry research shows rising customer interest in produce, lean meats, and nutritionally balanced children’s meals,” Sweeney said in a news release.

Sweeney noted the NRA has joined the Produce Marketing Association and International Foodservice Distributors Association in a goal to double the use of produce in foodservice within 10 years.

Pamela Bailey, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Grocery Manufacturers Association, said food companies have embraced the shared responsibility to help reverse the trend of obesity. She said food manufacturers are committed to making healthier food and to share nutritional information more effectively.

The White House task force brings a very thoughtful approach to ambitious changes in nutrition policy, said Ray Gilmer, vice president of communications for the Washington, D.C.-based United Fresh Produce Association. "As far as nutrition policy is concerned, we're glad to see they are very much on target with what we are trying to do."

Gilmer said accessibility and cost are considered to barriers to increased consumption by the task force, but he said United Fresh officials were still trying to determine what kind of subsidies the task force may be advocating, asking, "is it subsidies for consumers in feeding programs or is it subsidies for growers?"

United Fresh wants to explore with the administration and the industry about the concepts presented in the task force report, since there is a diversity of opinion concerning producer subsidies, Gilmer said.

The obesity task force report can be found at this link.


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